Seasons
by goddess.of.snow.33
Summary: A series of four short drabbles, one for each season of the year. InoSaku.
1. Spring

xxx

_Seeing You Again_

Rain glittered as it hit the pavement. Ino hurried along under the downpour, a stack of books hugged close to her chest. She'd forgotten to return them and they had been sitting on the floor of her bedroom for a week. A whole week! The blonde kunoichi picked up her pace. She didn't want to have to deal with the extra payment for keeping the books as long as she'd done. And if she didn't return them today, the fine would be even higher.

But life was life. Shielding her cargo from the spring rain, Ino concentrated on avoiding the puddles that covered the sidewalk. In her dash to the library, her shoes had been soaked by the rain, but she didn't want them to get any worse than they already were.

Raindrops fell harder, stinging her shoulders. _Why didn't I bring an umbrella? _Ino screamed at herself silently, shaking her head. She had rushed out the door so fast she had forgotten to even put on a coat. The tank-top she was wearing was nearly soaked. Luckily enough, spring rains like the one that was falling were rarely cold. The warm drops made the air soft and heavy.

She ducked into the opening doors of a bus and waited impatiently in line. After handing in her ticket, she stood next to the window, looking out at the rain-filled city and the cherry blossoms bowing their heads in the downpour. Briefly, she wondered when Sakura would be returning from her mission. The pink-haired girl had been gone two months. Two long, almost unbearable months. Ino had settled into the rhythms of life without Sakura, but it didn't feel right at all.

Ino was jerked out of her thoughts as the bus came to a stop. She glanced up, recognizing that she was close to the library. She walked out into the rain again and quickened her pace. Almost there.

Ino was too busy shielding the books from the rain to see Sakura ahead of her. She wouldn't have expected the girl to be back from her long mission anyway. Ino felt herself crash into the pink-haired kunoichi, who made a small noise of surprise, and then she saw the books fly from her arms and land on the pavement among the deep puddles of rainwater. She felt herself slipping too, about to fall down on the rough concrete, but then she was standing upright again and Sakura's arms were around her waist.

"Sorry you almost fell," Sakura said with a rueful smile. "I think I caught you just in time." The girl removed her arms from Ino's waist and stepped back, rushing to pick up the fallen books. She handed them in a neat stack to Ino, who took them slowly. The paper of the pages was sopping wet and curling from all the moisture.

"These are useless now . . ." Ino murmured, the realization hitting her. "I can't give these back to the library in this state."

Sakura's brow furrowed anxiously. "It's my fault, Ino. I'm really sorry I bumped into you—"

"No, not at all," Ino said, surprising Sakura with a bright smile. "I guess this is the way it was meant to be. I . . . don't really mind."

Sakura tipped her head to the side, genuinely confused. "Why not?"

Ino looked down at the stack of books in her arms and then back up at Sakura. She smiled fondly at the pink-haired kunoichi. The books dropped from her arms and she hugged Sakura fiercely, squeezing the breath out of the medic nin and then pulling back, only to kiss Sakura tenderly on the lips. The two stood in the heavy rain with the crowd of people moving around them. In those few moments nothing existed but the two of them and the slow pitter-patter of the rain and the blue-grey sky.

Ino pulled away and couldn't help but smile. "I love books, but there are some things that just don't compare to seeing you again, Sakura."

The pink-haired kunoichi's eyes widened as Ino hugged her a second time, and then her lids closed in contentment.

xxx


	2. Summer

xxx

_Perfect_

Hot sunlight fell on the beach, turning the dunes a glaring white. Sakura elbowed Ino and leaned in to whisper in her ear. "Where are we going to sit?"

"There."

Ino pointed to a gap in the blankets strewn over the beach and they made their way over to it. The shouts of children playing in the waves drifted up from the seashore. The two girls spread their picnic blanket over the sand and propped an umbrella up to shield their backs from the sun. Ino plopped down on the ground and pulled Sakura down with her, snuggling close to the pink-haired kunoichi.

"It feels good to be on vacation, doesn't it?"

"Hmm." Sakura nodded.

"Three weeks of doing nothing!" Ino exclaimed with delight.

"Yeah . . ."

The two relaxed in the shade of the umbrella, watching children swim in the ocean and clouds float overhead. The summer heat wasn't letting up. Waves crashing on the sand shimmered in the afternoon haze.

Sakura poked Ino in the side. "I'm thirsty."

Ino rolled her eyes at the pink-haired kunoichi and pulled a water bottle out of her bag. "Want water, eh? Well, I'm not gonna let you have any!" she teased.

"Baka!" Sakura cried, pouncing on the blonde and pushing her over on the sand. The two wrestled, laughing, rolling over and over across the dunes. Finally they came to a stop, panting, the water bottle forgotten and half-empty in the sand.

Ino shook herself and sat up, looking down at Sakura, who appeared to be relaxing, just lying there on the warm ground. The blonde brushed a pink lock from the other girl's face and smiled, leaning closer to kiss her. Sakura's hands entwined themselves in the back of Ino's hair. Their bodies were covered in sand and they were sweaty from their scuffle, but they kissed anyway.

Ino pulled away briefly to take a breath, but then leaned in again, her lips hovering over Sakura's. Their noses brushed and Sakura couldn't help but laugh.

"What's so funny?" Ino asked, tickling Sakura's stomach, laughing along with the pink-haired kunoichi. "Don't you take me seriously?"

Sakura laughed quietly as Ino rested her head her chest. "Baka," she murmured teasingly. The blonde smiled and turned her head to press her lips against Sakura's neck. The pink-haired girl blinked and then tried to sit up, a realization striking her. "Ino," she growled, making a vain attempt to remove Ino's arms from around her body. "We're in a public place!"

"So?"

"So . . . are we allowed to be this affectionate in public?"

"Well, yeah. We're not doing anything wrong," Ino explained, kissing Sakura on the cheek and grinning. "For heaven's sake, Sakura, we already kissed like a billion times."

The pink-haired girl flushed. "Yes, well . . ."

"Well?" Ino prompted, massaging the other kunoichi's shoulders. Sakura eventually relaxed, sighing with a combination of resignation, relief and pleasure.

"I hate you," she murmured with a smile, head falling back on the blonde's shoulder. "You're just too persuasive!" Sakura snuggled into Ino's embrace and looked up again. "I really do hate you, Ino-pig," she said with a chuckle.

"Oh, forehead girl, you hurt my feelings," Ino joked. The old insults they had used for each other had turned into a sort of endearment by now. And besides, it was an old habit.

Ino squeezed Sakura's shoulders and closed her eyes. It was unbearably hot outside and the sun was too bright, but it was perfect.

It was perfect because she was with _her._

xxx


	3. Autumn

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_Heart-beat_

The cherry tree had lost all its blossoms and its leaves. The black bark on its limbs was the same color as the night. A faint glow from the moon silhouetted the branches and fell on the stone of the courtyard. Moonlight has a soft glimmer to it, and on a clear autumn night it looks unearthly, falling like mist from the sky.

The air was as still as ice, crackling with suggestions of winter. The wind had died with the sun. Konoha was swallowed up in shadow.

Sakura liked this time of night, as Ino knew. It was a time when it seemed that time itself did not exist. The only things that moved were the moon rising slowly overhead and their shadows darting forward as they took quiet steps together.

The courtyard was half-immersed in the shadow from the Hokage's Mansion. The crescent moon peered over the top of the building, a fierce white-blue.

They were close to _that_ place.

"Do you remember it?"

Sakura nodded, smiling a bit as she looked up at the roof of the Hokage's Mansion. The place of her first kiss. The place of _their_ first kiss.

"That was a whole year ago, but it seems like yesterday, doesn't it?" she whispered back.

Ino nodded vigorously. Sakura smiled, realizing they both thought about that memory a lot. She grinned at the blonde and squeezed her hand. "Back then, who would have thought that everything would have happened like it did? I didn't think I was ever going to . . . I don't know . . . get you to myself. I worried about it so much."

Ino raised an eyebrow. "I did that exact same thing," she said, shaking her head. They both burst into giggles, stifling the laughter as it threatened to bubble over.

Sakura's laughter died away as she saw Ino's face sober. The pink-haired kunoichi noticed that the other girl's hands were clasped behind her back. Ino's expression was suddenly a bit wary.

"Ino-pig, what are you holding behind your back?" Sakura asked, keeping her tone light.

The blonde shook her head, sticking her nose in the air in mock-arrogance as if to say 'I won't show you, hah!' Sakura narrowed her eyes playfully and tackled the other girl until she had the blonde's hands in her own.

Ino was holding a yellow lily. She thrust it into Sakura's hands.

The pink-haired kunoichi frowned. "You've never given me flowers before. Is this a special occasion? What-"

Ino fiddled with the hem of her blue nightgown and bit her lip. "I . . . well . . . I would really . . . see . . . I want you to . . . could you . . . I mean . . . um . . ." she faltered. The blonde rubbed her eyes with her hand and then looked back up at Sakura. She took a deep breath. "The reason I asked you to come out here with me is that I wanted to ask you if you would move in with me."

Sakura's eyes widened and her lips parted ever so slightly.

Ino turned away, her back facing Sakura. She flicked her hair out of her face nervously. "I've been thinking about this for a long time, and you know I just got an apartment, so . . . I moved out of my parents' house and . . ."

She paused and sighed. "I really want to live with you. I-I know this might be too soon, but I . . . uh . . . I just really . . . Sakura—"

Ino stopped suddenly as a pair of arms wrapped tightly around her waist. She looked down. Sakura was hugging her with the brightest smile on her face, still clutching the yellow lily in her fist. "Yes, yes, yes, YES," she murmured, resting her head against Ino's.

The blonde let out a breath she hadn't realized she was keeping and rested her hands over Sakura's, over her heart. She realized it was beating fast.

It was beating for Sakura.

xxx

Some things I have to say—

1. Meh, I hope that lived up to the standard of the firs two chapters.

2. The first kiss that was mentioned—as some of you may now, I actually wrote a fic about that scene. It's called _Midnight_. Go check it out if you haven't already! I hope you like it! XD

3. Also, **I made some ****fanart**** for this chapter. **Go to my profile for the link to my dA and you'll find it in my gallery. It's titled "InoSaku - Autumn." (btw, sorry, I can't figure out how to link in places other than my profile and even that link is acting kinda funky . . .)

4. If you are a nerd like myself, you will know that lilies symbolize girlxgirl, yuri, shouji-ai / whatever you want to call it. Just thought I'd point that out!

–is too nerdy for her own good–

:3


	4. Winter

**A/N:** One thing to remember – this _is_ supposed to be senseless fluff without much of a plot! :3

xxx

_Full Circle_

Winter mornings were cold and silent, dark but not black, more of a charcoal grey that the trees disappeared in outside the windows. Ino peered through the glass, shivering in her thin t-shirt and shorts. It was almost dawn. She glanced back towards the bed. Sakura's shadowy form was sprawled over it. The pink-haired girl had thrown the covers off herself half-way through the night. She lay on her stomach with her face pressed into a pillow, breathing softly.

It had been a month since Sakura had moved in with Ino. The blonde still couldn't believe it really happened. It all seemed too good to be true. Waking up next to the other girl always made her feel an unexplainable tingling and gave her butterflies in her stomach. Every time.

Ino climbed back into bed, forgetting why she had even left it in the first place. She couldn't go back to sleep, so she sat up and moved Sakura's head into her lap, stroking the girl's pink locks slowly. Outside their window, the sun was changing the sky to a brilliant orange as it began to rise above the treetops. Ino's attention was brought back to the room as Sakura stirred, letting out a sleepy yawn. The girl stretched, reaching her arms over her head and accidentally hitting Ino in the stomach with her legendary fist.

"Ouch!"

"Sorry," Sakura mumbled, laughing sleepily up at the blonde. "Didn't mean to punch you."

Ino couldn't help but smile at her sleepy girlfriend. She tousled the kunoichi's pink locks, sending them all over the place. "It's okay. How about some breakfast?"

"Yes!" Sakura crowed, wrapping her arms around Ino's waist. "I want toast!"

"Let me get up so I can bring it to you then," Ino laughed. "Breakfast in bed. Sound good?"

"Mm-hmm!"

"'Kay." Ino got up and walked into the kitchen. It was dim with a pale blue morning light. She flipped on the lights, wincing at the sudden brightness, and started slicing a piece of bread.

"Hey, Ino?" Sakura called from their bed room. "Do you have any missions this spring?"

The blonde sighed and put the slice of bread in the toaster. Wiping her hands on her shorts, she walked back into the other room. "Yes," she murmured as she sat on the side of the bed. "I think it's going to be at least a month long too."

Sakura's eyes flickered and she looked down at her hands, pursing her lips. The next few minutes passed in silence. Ino watched the pink-haired kunoichi as the sun rose higher over the trees. Its rays made Sakura's hair glow the color of a rose, but her face was still in shadow, frowning.

Sakura sighed suddenly, making Ino stand up quickly. The blonde fiddled with the hem of her shirt. "I just heard the toast pop! Back in a second!" she exclaimed, and then dashed out of the room.

Sakura scowled and flopped back against the pillows in the bed, staring blankly up at the ceiling. Ino came back a moment later and gently placed a plate next to Sakura. The downcast kunoichi nibbled at her food without even looking up. Ino secretly marveled over how quickly Sakura's mood could change—one minute she was snuggling with her, the next she was determined to ignore her.

Ino placed a hand on Sakura's shoulder. "I promise I won't be gone much longer than a month, Sakura," she said quietly. "I know you don't like it when I'm gone that long . . ." she added, and then bit her lip nervously. "I'm sorry."

The pink-haired kunoichi let out an aggravated sigh and then smiled ruefully up at Ino. "It's okay, I'll stop being mad at you, I guess. It isn't your fault you have a stupid mission . . ." she grumbled as she took a bite of her toast.

Ino tapped her on the shoulder again, trying to keep her attention. "Wait, one more thing," she muttered with the hint of a blush coloring her cheeks.

Sakura tipped her head to the side. "Yes?"

"W-when I come home . . . it'll be the middle of spring by then . . . and it'll be just like last spring, you know, when you kissed me in the rain," Ino mumbled, trying not to smile. "Could we . . . do that again?"

Sakura laughed and punched Ino in the arm, her eyes softening at Ino's tender expression. "Yeah, let's make that kiss a tradition." She had always known Ino was a hopeless romantic. And she loved her for it.

Ino grinned and closed her eyes, her blush reddening her cheeks. She nestled her head in the crook of Sakura's neck. The pink-haired kunoichi went on eating her toast, smiling, as the sun rose over Konoha.

xxx

END

Thanks to everyone who read this. It's been really fun to write! I just realized something that I wanted to share with you guys—I realized my Spring chapter was set in the morning, my Summer chapter was set at midday, my Autumn chapter was set in the late night, and my Winter chapter was set in the early morning. And I did that unconsciously! It's not only a cycle of seasons, but a cycle of times of the day too.

Okay, I am such a strange writer. I analyze my own writing and then find new stuff out about it that I didn't even know!

-sweatdrop-

Well anyway, all reviews are welcome. I would LOVE some constructive criticism. And if you haven't gone and checked out my **InoSaku fanart** by now, you should! I would love some constructive criticism on it. (remember, the link to my deviantART is in my profile and you'll easily find the art in my gallery)

Revvviiiieeeewwwwww

:3


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